Mercy Burns (Myth and Magic 2)

“Hang on, I’ll google it.” The sound of tapping keys came down the line, and after a few seconds, he added, “Okay, you’re looking at a good eight-hour drive from San Francisco. Why is this information so vitally important and why do you seem so stressed?”

“Because Red Rock is slated to be destroyed at midnight, meaning we need to contact someone in that town ASAP to see if we can arrange an evacuation.”

“Shit.” Leith blew out a breath. “Where’s your muerte?”

“He’s not my anything, and right now he’s flying Leon—the man running under the alias of Jake—out to sea.”

“Why the hell didn’t he just kill him?”

“Because that would tell his kin something was wrong, and we need to avoid that right now.”

“Fuck, Mercy, you’re dealing with seasoned criminals here. The men behind all this probably already know you have him.”

“Maybe. Maybe not. Can you help me with Red Rock?”

“I’ve got some friends in Las Vegas who might be able to fly out there, but it’s going to be a close thing to get everyone out in time.”

“All the inhabitants have to do is take flight.” Except that not every draman could take flight, and our felons might already be watching the roads.

“Mercy, if this town is a target, the inhabitants won’t be able to come back until these bastards have been dealt with. And most of them can’t go back to their cliques, either. These towns are rogue establishments for a reason, remember?”

“I remember. But it’s better to be homeless for a while than dead for an eternity.” Not to mention their spirits roaming the void between this life and the next. Because unless Damon and I could solve these crimes in the allotted time, that would also be their fate, just like it had been the fate of everyone in Stillwater and Desert Springs.

I closed my eyes, trying not to think about the fact that I had only two days left to solve Rainey’s murder. I could do it. I would do it.

“Look,” Leith said, frustration in his voice. “I’ll make some phone calls and see what I can arrange. No promises.”

“I know, and thanks.” I hesitated, then added, “And because we are dealing with criminals and thugs, you’d better warn whoever goes out there to be very, very careful. It’s likely these people have scouts.”

“They might, but they’ll keep any reaction discreet. Whatever this operation really is, secrecy appears to be the key.”

“I hope you’re right.” And yet instinct suggested he wasn’t. Not entirely. This operation was too big, too planned, to be left to chance. I wouldn’t put it past them to just shoot as many draman as they could. After all, who would the draman report the crime to? The knowledge that we could never go to—or trust—human authorities was too ingrained, and there were few of us who put any faith in the dragon council to help out. “Damon and I will be heading out there as soon as we can.”

“Just be careful, Mercy. If they see the town being evacuated, they might realize you were behind it. And have a trap waiting.”

“I know. I’ll phone you later to give an update.”

“You’d damn well better.”

He hung up. I put the phone back in its cradle, then spun and headed for the bedroom, searching until I found a backpack. In it I stashed some clothes and the stolen papers from Hannish’s office. Once filled, I dumped it beside my other pack, then grabbed the netbook, firing it up to do a search for Red Rock while I waited for Damon to get back.

He was as good as his word, and arrived just before seven. He came in the door looking drawn and tired, but his smile was one of pure delight when his gaze met mine.

As if he was truly happy to see me. Like it meant something that he was back with me.

And it made my insides quiver, even if I knew the emotions so evident in his expression weren’t likely to last. He’d warned me of that. Warned me he wouldn’t get attached, no matter what.

I believed him. I had to. I’d been hurt too greatly in the past by reading too much into a gesture or a smile to be taken in by such things now.

His gaze swept me and the smile faded. “What’s wrong?”

I handed him a cup of coffee. “There’s another draman town slated for destruction in five hours.”

“Fuck.” He thrust his free hand through his damp hair. “How long is it going to take us to drive there?”

“Longer than we’ve got,” I replied grimly. “I called Leith and asked him to get someone down there to warn the people. Hopefully, they’ll evacuate before the hit men arrive.”

“We can’t chance that.” He downed some coffee, then added, “We’ll have to fly out.”